Cardio Timing

Jill · 10-06-2003, 10:06 AM

I usually do my cardio before my weights, and have been doing it like that for several years. Recently, I have started to do 30 mins, then my weights, then another 30 mins of cardio. I've tried lifting, then cardio, but I find I have no energy after lifting. Any recommendations? Also, I eat something very small before going to the gym, simply because I wake up, and am in the gym 40 minutes later, any suggestions as to a good small pre-work out meal, that wont interfear with my cardio????

**Jodi** · 10-06-2003, 10:14 AM

First of all you should never do your cardio before your weights. Lifting is more important and your wasting your glycogen stores on cardio leaving minimal for your lifting. your suppose to have no engery left after your lifting.

Whey and a fat source is all you need for pre-workout. but you really should do your cardio after weights.

Jill · 10-06-2003, 10:48 AM

I find that if I do cardio first I have lots of energy left to lift weights. Could it really be that bad? Do you do alot of cardio Jodi? I love the cross trainer, I could stay on it forever!

naturalguy · 10-06-2003, 10:55 AM

The optimum way to do it is to separate your cardio and weight training. However this is not practical for everyone so if you must do it in the same session, you should do it after lifting. Why? You will burn fat much more effeciently.

As far as pre workout nutrition, it depends how long before you workout. If it is less than an hour, then you want something quick absorbing like a meal replacement shake, something with carbs and protein and minimal fat and fiber because this slows down the absorbtion. If it is more than an hour, then a small food meal is fine, again minimal fat and fiber unless it will be a few hours between eating and working out.

**Jodi** · 10-06-2003, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jill
I find that if I do cardio first I have lots of energy left to lift weights. Could it really be that bad? Do you do alot of cardio Jodi? I love the cross trainer, I could stay on it forever!

No I don't do alot of cardio. I prefer to keep my muscle. I do some but only 2-3 times a week and its light. I prefer a shake before my workout because I don't like the heavy feeling of the carbs during my lifting. I save my carbs for after my workout.

**Prince** · 10-06-2003, 11:55 AM

I don't know it's debatable. I only do HITT cardio 2-4 times per week.

Jeff Willet was doing HITT cardio 7 days per week for several months preparing for his two shows, he came in at 200lbs shredded and he's only 5' 7". Obviously he did not "burn" up his msucle doing all of that cardio.

Leslie · 10-06-2003, 12:12 PM

I was going to say perhaps he is on AS- as some act as muscle preservers...only isn't Jeff Willet supposedly a natural?

naturalguy · 10-06-2003, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Leslie
I was going to say perhaps he is on AS- as some act as muscle preservers...only isn't Jeff Willet supposedly a natural?

Yes, he is as is Skip Lacour and thousands of other natural bodybuilders that use cardio to get lean. They don't lose muscle because they eat intelligently.

donescobar2000 · 10-06-2003, 02:51 PM

20 max seems to work for me along with lifting 5 days a week and I'm shedding. I normally slam a potato in my mouth 30 minutes before and my workouts are pretty good. I'm not using any thermos or anything. Just water!

Tha Don · 10-06-2003, 03:11 PM

i just have a can of tuna and some oats pre weights workout, pre cardio i don't eat... i do it before breakfast which is the time when you will get maximum fat loss from training

i do my weights mon-wed-fri
and my cardio tue-thur-sat

sunday is rest

that is my cutting routine, when i go back to adding muscle i'll just do 1 session of light cardio to keep my fitness there and keep the fat off

as jodie and NG says do weights before CV. you'll see better results.... so you will be tired when you do your C.V. but that is the point, it will be tougher, more challenging and probably more intense, plus you weights workouts will be much better which is real important

peace

donescobar2000 · 10-06-2003, 03:15 PM

Honestly I would eat something light pre cardio. I believe doing it that way you may catobolise muscle. Take it from me. I've done that stupid crap before.

Leslie · 10-06-2003, 04:01 PM

Bottomline is whether you do it in the AM or after your weights, you need to do it when you can STICK to it. If you are not a morning person, then forget about getting up an hour earlier, opt for after weights. Calories burned are calories burned.

Tha Don · 10-06-2003, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by donescobar2000
Honestly I would eat something light pre cardio. I believe doing it that way you may catobolise muscle. Take it from me. I've done that stupid crap before.

hmm

i've heard it will not burn muscle at this time, but rather fat (i've been told to do all my C.V. before i eat in the mornings)

can anybody else give an opinion on this?

I hear your point, doing intense cardio with no fuel is bound to be burning some muscle, not just fat, but whether its true or not i don't know, i'd like to find out if anyone has knowledge of training before breakfast

**Jodi** · 10-06-2003, 07:06 PM

Never lift before eating.

You need food before you lift, however if you are doing cardio only then before breakfast that is fine and it will help with fat loss. BUT DO NOT LIFT BEFORE FOOD!

naturalguy · 10-06-2003, 07:35 PM

I wouldn't suggest cardio on an empty stomach especially first thing in the morning. At this time you have just gone 8-10 hours without eating anything, this is a good way to lose muscle. It's like trying to drive your car without gas.

ponyboy · 10-06-2003, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Leslie
Bottomline is whether you do it in the AM or after your weights, you need to do it when you can STICK to it. If you are not a morning person, then forget about getting up an hour earlier, opt for after weights. Calories burned are calories burned.

Awesome post Leslie. The hardest part is always making the whole routine a habit and sticking to it.

Leslie · 10-06-2003, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ponyboy
Awesome post Leslie. The hardest part is always making the whole routine a habit and sticking to it.

Thanks Ponyboy

hardasnails1973 · 10-07-2003, 08:30 AM

AS Leslie said stop worry about what time and what not and just do it for crying out loud as long as you create a deficit in in caloires thats all that matters. I swear people stress over the littlest things shesh !!

1. 2-3 hours after a regular meal
2. first thing in the morning on empty (depending how fat you are)
3. after weigth training with some BCAAS and gltuemine prior
4. hour after small meal

just do it !!

people some time make some thing so simple seem like you have to be some kind of rocket scientist to figure out

find maintaince subtract 250 and that be starting point with cardio 2-3 days a week to start and then tweek from there

killer4life · 10-24-2003, 06:18 AM

i heard if u do light cardio 15 to 25 min after weights that it will help you recover easier

hardasnails1973 · 10-24-2003, 06:28 AM

CArdio before breakfast is a NO NO on empty stomach unless you are realy really fat (men over 15% women over 25%) if you are under these requirements a nice 25 grams whey shake 30-45 minutes before cardio would be not a bad idea before cardio.

If you are going tio be involved with 15-20 min-HIT cardio then 15-20 grams carbs and protein would be highly suggestable

10-06-2003, 10:06 AM	#1
Jill Back to reality Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Re-Motivated Posts: 5,861	Cardio Timing BODYBUILDING SUPPLEMENTS High Quality Supplements For Bodybuilders and Athletes. www.ironmaglabs.com I usually do my cardio before my weights, and have been doing it like that for several years. Recently, I have started to do 30 mins, then my weights, then another 30 mins of cardio. I've tried lifting, then cardio, but I find I have no energy after lifting. Any recommendations? Also, I eat something very small before going to the gym, simply because I wake up, and am in the gym 40 minutes later, any suggestions as to a good small pre-work out meal, that wont interfear with my cardio????

10-06-2003, 10:14 AM	#2
Jodi Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 22,177 Photos: 1	First of all you should never do your cardio before your weights. Lifting is more important and your wasting your glycogen stores on cardio leaving minimal for your lifting. your suppose to have no engery left after your lifting. Whey and a fat source is all you need for pre-workout. but you really should do your cardio after weights.
	Essence EFA

10-06-2003, 10:55 AM	#4
naturalguy Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: New York Posts: 489	The optimum way to do it is to separate your cardio and weight training. However this is not practical for everyone so if you must do it in the same session, you should do it after lifting. Why? You will burn fat much more effeciently. As far as pre workout nutrition, it depends how long before you workout. If it is less than an hour, then you want something quick absorbing like a meal replacement shake, something with carbs and protein and minimal fat and fiber because this slows down the absorbtion. If it is more than an hour, then a small food meal is fine, again minimal fat and fiber unless it will be a few hours between eating and working out.
	www.animalpak.com www.universalnutrition.com

10-06-2003, 11:55 AM	#6
Prince the one & only Administrator Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Colorado Posts: 33,295 Blog Entries: 25 Photos: 313	I don't know it's debatable. I only do HITT cardio 2-4 times per week. Jeff Willet was doing HITT cardio 7 days per week for several months preparing for his two shows, he came in at 200lbs shredded and he's only 5' 7". Obviously he did not "burn" up his msucle doing all of that cardio.
	Support the Board Sponsors: SBMuscle.com - Discount Supplement Superstore AlltheWhey.com - Bulk Protein Powders CEM Products - Research Chemicals & Supplements MusclePharm - Complete Nutritional Arsenal BigBackGrips - If you lift weights you've got to try these grips! CHECK OUT THIS NEW 6-PACK-ABS PROGRAM!

10-06-2003, 12:12 PM	#7
Leslie DOWNSIZING Elite Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Jersey Girl Posts: 2,911 Photos: 11	I was going to say perhaps he is on AS- as some act as muscle preservers...only isn't Jeff Willet supposedly a natural?
	Leslie My Journal My Sponsor:www.AvantLabs.com

10-06-2003, 10:48 AM	#3
Jill Back to reality Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Re-Motivated Posts: 5,861	I find that if I do cardio first I have lots of energy left to lift weights. Could it really be that bad? Do you do alot of cardio Jodi? I love the cross trainer, I could stay on it forever!

10-06-2003, 02:51 PM	#9
donescobar2000 The Gym's Disciple Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Your girlfriend bedroom. Haha! Posts: 1,586 Photos: 7	20 max seems to work for me along with lifting 5 days a week and I'm shedding. I normally slam a potato in my mouth 30 minutes before and my workouts are pretty good. I'm not using any thermos or anything. Just water!
	]

10-06-2003, 03:11 PM	#10
Tha Don Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Nottingham, England Posts: 3,826 Photos: 33	i just have a can of tuna and some oats pre weights workout, pre cardio i don't eat... i do it before breakfast which is the time when you will get maximum fat loss from training i do my weights mon-wed-fri and my cardio tue-thur-sat sunday is rest that is my cutting routine, when i go back to adding muscle i'll just do 1 session of light cardio to keep my fitness there and keep the fat off as jodie and NG says do weights before CV. you'll see better results.... so you will be tired when you do your C.V. but that is the point, it will be tougher, more challenging and probably more intense, plus you weights workouts will be much better which is real important peace

10-06-2003, 03:15 PM	#11
donescobar2000 The Gym's Disciple Elite Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Your girlfriend bedroom. Haha! Posts: 1,586 Photos: 7	Honestly I would eat something light pre cardio. I believe doing it that way you may catobolise muscle. Take it from me. I've done that stupid crap before.
	]

10-06-2003, 04:01 PM	#12
Leslie DOWNSIZING Elite Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Jersey Girl Posts: 2,911 Photos: 11	Bottomline is whether you do it in the AM or after your weights, you need to do it when you can STICK to it. If you are not a morning person, then forget about getting up an hour earlier, opt for after weights. Calories burned are calories burned.
	Leslie My Journal My Sponsor:www.AvantLabs.com

10-06-2003, 07:06 PM	#14
Jodi Super Moderator Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 22,177 Photos: 1	Never lift before eating. You need food before you lift, however if you are doing cardio only then before breakfast that is fine and it will help with fat loss. BUT DO NOT LIFT BEFORE FOOD!
	Essence EFA

10-06-2003, 07:35 PM	#15
naturalguy Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: New York Posts: 489	I wouldn't suggest cardio on an empty stomach especially first thing in the morning. At this time you have just gone 8-10 hours without eating anything, this is a good way to lose muscle. It's like trying to drive your car without gas.
	www.animalpak.com www.universalnutrition.com

10-07-2003, 08:30 AM	#18
hardasnails1973 www.Bodyfactoryllc.com Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pa Posts: 1,740	AS Leslie said stop worry about what time and what not and just do it for crying out loud as long as you create a deficit in in caloires thats all that matters. I swear people stress over the littlest things shesh !! 1. 2-3 hours after a regular meal 2. first thing in the morning on empty (depending how fat you are) 3. after weigth training with some BCAAS and gltuemine prior 4. hour after small meal just do it !! people some time make some thing so simple seem like you have to be some kind of rocket scientist to figure out find maintaince subtract 250 and that be starting point with cardio 2-3 days a week to start and then tweek from there
	EDIT: You need to place a link on your website to IronMagazine.com if you want to put a link in your sig.

10-24-2003, 06:18 AM	#19
killer4life Junior Member Elite Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 90	i heard if u do light cardio 15 to 25 min after weights that it will help you recover easier

10-24-2003, 06:28 AM	#20
hardasnails1973 www.Bodyfactoryllc.com Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Pa Posts: 1,740	CArdio before breakfast is a NO NO on empty stomach unless you are realy really fat (men over 15% women over 25%) if you are under these requirements a nice 25 grams whey shake 30-45 minutes before cardio would be not a bad idea before cardio. If you are going tio be involved with 15-20 min-HIT cardio then 15-20 grams carbs and protein would be highly suggestable
	EDIT: You need to place a link on your website to IronMagazine.com if you want to put a link in your sig.

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